Drying machine



pril 12 1927.

SQALSTAEGE DRYING MACHINE Fi ed May 4" 1925 INVENTOR \$7%yol5evv/4.qisza;@2

WITNESSES:

TTORNEY Patented Apr. 12, 1927'.

UNITED STATES 1,624,371 PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN A. STAEGE, E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR ro WESTINGHOUSE ELEoTEIo & MANUFACTURING COMBANY, A oonron 'rIoN 0E PENNSYLVANIA- n YINe M cHINEp Application May 4,.

My invention relates toidrying iinechines and particularly to means for drying a 011 tinuous'web'of material's I One object of my invention is v5 drier system comprising'a plural1ty "ofjcjo;'z

operating drier units.

Another object of my mventim i-S'lio vide a drier system in which steam generated in one part ofthe drying operation is which the initially wet generated in the drier casing is conducted into and through a plurality of drums which operatively engage the web, of material. In the single sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and artiall in vertical longitudinal section, 0 adevice embodying my invention Fig 2 is a to plan view, of a portion of the assembly ilustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and

in plan and partia ly inhorizonta section, of the device illustrated in Fig. 2. 8 My invention has referencemore particularly to the dryingof a continuous web of material su'ch'as paper. While the invention will be'described irnconnection with such a use, it is not limited thereto. A' casing 'desi nated generally by the numeral ll, may e ofany suitable or desired construction but is preferably made of heat-insulating material and is of such width, in lateral section, as tolpermit of passing a web 12 ot initially-wet'material therethrough, whichweb may be of any predetermined width in accordance with the'ultirnate use to which the web, such asnews print, may be put. The structural features of the casing llconstitute'no part of myinvention and I have, therefore, not illustrated them in detail.

Means formoving or conveying the web 12: through the casing 11 in a plurality of passes comprises a plurality of endless woven-wire belts 13, 14, 15 and 16,. located one above another and each belt being supported by end rpllers or drums. 17 and 18,

web of passed and having high-temperature heating -means therein. The dry superheatedsteam- .severallycomprise a suitable refractory sup Fig. 3 is a fragmentary. view, artially i925; seria o. 27,672.

,-. standard type usually employed in paper machine work and are illustrated generally only, as they form no part of my invention, 60

' The rollers 17 and 18 are supported in any suitable .or desired manner, either by the side walls ofthe casing or by structural steel means built up within the casing 11, as may 1 he found necessary or desirable. Smaller intermediate roller members 19 are provided to support the upper portions of the endless belts "'13; to 16 inclusive. lhe locations of the drums Y17 and 18 and of the smaller rollers 19" are such that the upperfportions of the respective endless belts are located closely adjacent to the lower portions ofthe belts located immediately 'thereabove, as is v illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. v Means for heating the interior ofthecas 7 ing and causing evaporation ofthewater-or fluid contained in the initially-wet web of material 12 comprises a plurality of electric heatmg elements 21. The heating elements 80 er 22, of electric-insulating porting ,in'em material,;upon which suitable resistor mem- L hers- .23 are "located, the construction being such tliatsubstantially all of the heat gen-] erated by the heating elements 21 is in the form of high-temperature radiant heat. To

"this end, I permit the elements 23 to be traversed by an electric current of such value: that the resistors :become'radiant, whereb the greater part, if not all, of the heat, 1s transferred by radiation to the wet web of materialiand to the endless belts with which the web .isin operative engagement.

. As the temperature of the heating means is relatively high, upto approximately 1200 F., the Water initially-in the web of material is quickly heated to, and chan ed 1nt0, steam at 212 F.,'and is then :furt er heated to a temperature that is in accordance, with the amount of heat transformed into energy within the casing 11 and also in accordance with the amount of water that 1 is subjected to the heat from the heating means. These elements are so co-ordinated that the web of material which may contain 105 initially approximately 70% water, is dried to such an extent that it contains a much less percentage of water, and a portion of the water has been transformed into. 'a dry superheated steam that is eflective to pro- 110' Ill lid

duee n slight positive pressure within the casing.

A. relatively narrow entering slot SM is provided to permit the entrance of the web 12, and a similar leaving slot is provided to permit the egress of the partially dried Web of paper. While I have illustrated the Web as entering the casingnenr the bottom thereof and leaving near the top thereof, this is not essential, as the points of entering and lOllVlllQ may be reversed. It is to be noted also that the movements of the respective endless belts are such, relatively to each other. that those portions in substantially operative engagement with each other end the web of materiel supported ond'movcd thcrebv will travel in the some direction.

A plurality of drums 26 are located in the path of travel of the web of material 1%,

end, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing, the

drums 26 may he loceted book of the casing 11 relatively to the travel of the web 1%. so that the web. 1% will operutivclv engage u portion of such of the drums 26. which are locotcd in two lovers. whereby further drying of the web will be effected it the drums are heated.

The hosting of the diunns 26 is cll'ected bv the dry superheated stenrn generated in the casing ll bv the action of the relatively high-temperature hosting units 21. us wns hercinbe-Fore described, which steum is con ducted through at conduit 27 connected to the cosine 11 into and through the hollow drums i 26 through suitable branch conduits Q8.

The construction and mounting of: the retatable steam drums Elli is well lruown in the art. end hence no dctnils ore shown of this part of the construction. its hereiubelore noted the dry sunorhcoted steam generated within "the casing 11, is under it slight nressure bv reason of the l ner. that the cosine ll is substantially enclosed and thut the bentin ineuusgis locuted directlv within the cos inn: and does not ernnlov on: for lts onersr' tion. I-l'encmit is nossible to cause steam to traverse the conduit 2i". the branch conduits 98 end into and through the drums 96 with out our odditionol menus. l'lowever. if nccesserv. I provide it suction tt'uu E29 that nic'v be driven bv :1 suitable electric motor The suction means 99 is connected to a col looting conduit d2 on the other side of the steam drums 2G. The Frumnenterv view, shown in Fig. 3. is intended merelv to illustrate the general construction of the conduits and the resnective hollow drums and to illustrate the flow of steern therethroue'h.

At the present time. su'bstentinllv all of the paper machines in onerntion emplov either a plurolitv of StElIlTklH-lfllfitl drums 2G or a single vcrv lnrrge steam heated drum. with the external surface of which the moving web of material is in operative engagement to be dried thereby. The steam is generated in any suitable or desired manner, as in steam boilers heated by cool or gas, or in electric steam boilers. I -p refer to so dimension the various parts of the electrically heated drier unit that the emount of steam generated within the casing by c transformation of a the casing 11 must be coordinated with the speed of the initially wet web of material and with the fluid contents thereof when entering the casing in order that the above suggested balance may be maintained within proper limits in the ordinary course of opcrntion.

;It is nossible to introduce such an electricellv heated drier easing" into nuncr muchines that are nlrcudv in onerution and that emnlov stcumdicuted drums for drvino. It may be necessary. in such :ncese. that the drier casino: be located below the floor level upon which the nrcsent paper machine is located and thnt the location and erroneoment of the means For moving the Web of material throush thev casing be. varied in uccordunce with the oath of travel ureseribed bv the general arrangement of the present ulrendv installed machine. The elcotricellv heated drier unit may be located either ahead of the steem drum unit or buck of it. l'elntivelv to the travel of the web. as muv be desired or suitable.

It mev be noted that the device embodvingr mv invention nrovides a: menus for nertinllv dr ving on initiallv-wet web of. new

teriul. transforming the fluid inton relativelv drv sud superheated steam and then immediatelv using; the steam thus genercited in another rvnc of drier. the web of material being comnlctelv dried by the two co-oneratingr units.

The web of material is led through suitable calender rolls and to suitable reeling devices. after leaving the drums 96. but. as

these devices are old and well known in the art. thev are not illustrated on described.

Various modifications mnv be made in the device nnd svstero embodying: "mv' inveution without dennrtino from the snirit end scone thereof and all such modiiicutions are intended to be covered by the appended claims. I claim as my invention: "l. In a. drier system. the combination with u nluralitv of drier drums. of an murilint-1v drier unit, heating means therein for transforming: a part of the water in said web into steam. and menus for conducting said steam into and through said drums to heat the same.

tively engaging a web of material to be said web,

ing said steam into and through said drums to heat the same. a

5. In a drier system, the combination with 2. In a drier system, the combination with a plurality of drier drums, of an auxiliary drier unit, high-temperature heating means therein for transforming a part of the fluid in said web into dry superheated vapor, and means for conductmg said vapor into said terial to be dried, of an auxiliary drier casdrums to heat the same. i ing, means for moving said web through 3. In a drier system, the combination with said drier easing, means in said drier casing a plurality of drums for operatively engagfor transforming a part of the water in said ing a web of material to dry the same, of an auxiliary drier unit for effecting a partial drying of said web, high temperature heating means in said drier unit for transforming .the water in said web into dry superheated steam, and means for conduct-- ing the steam'from the auxiliary drier unit into and through said drums to heat the same.

4. In a drier'system, the combination with a plurality of rotatable drums for operafor conducting the steam into said drums to heat the same and to dry the web.

6., In a drier system, in combination, a substantially enclosed drier casing, means through said casing, a plurality of rotatable of material, heating nieans in said casing for transforming a part of the water in said web into d superheated steam, and means for conducting said steam into and through said drums to heat the same.

dried, of an auxiliary, substantially en- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto closed, drier casing located in the path of high temperature electric heating means in said casing for transforming a portion of the water in said web into dry superheated steam, and means for conduct- STEPHEN A. STAEGE,

web into dry superheated steam, and means for moving an initially wet web of materialdrums for ,operatiyely engaging said web a plurality of rotatable drums for operai tively engagingan initially wet web of masubscribed my name this 29th day ofApril, I 

